Disk on Key slowly getting smaller

[Dotan Cohen]

On 09/03/2008, Derek Broughton <news at pointerstop.ca> wrote:
> > Not true. I am a Linux user, and I have absolutely no problem paying
> > for software. I payed for Opera when it cost money, and I'll pay for
> > Photoshop the day it becomes available. I'll probably pay for quicken
> > as well.
>
> You are, however, a pretty unusual user.

That I won't dispute.

> > It's FUD like you mention that prevents businesses from porting
> > software to Linux,
>
> No, that's not FUD.  Individual linux users almost never pay for software,
> and businesses that _do_ depend on Linux never expect to make their profit
> from selling the software itself.  We _can't_ depend on that, because so
> much of our own code base is Free software, so we look to other revenue
> streams.  Corporations might pay for Linux software, but they're the
> problem in getting software ported to Linux - because they worry about
> service, which is oddly the part that _can_ be profitable in the Linux
> world.

While I do agree that it seems sensible that many Linux users do not
pay for software, declaring that _most_ Linux users do not pay for
software is "slashdot comments" research: an educated guess. It sounds
good, but have you checked? Companies like Google, NASA and Disney pay
quite a lot for Linux software.

> > But don't think
> > that you represent everybody, because you don't, and you hurt the
> > community by trying to represent the community in a way that it does
> > not want to be represented.
>
> He certainly does represent the majority.

Is the reason that people use Linux because the software is free, or
because they like a secure, stable OS that just so happens is easy to
use and looks good too? The fact that the software is free is just a
nice bonus. I happen to donate money to FOSS projects that I like, in
fact just yesterday I donated to the author of a Thunderbird extension
that makes my life easier. Now, I understand that I am in the minority
here, but I'm certain that were Ubuntu the same price as Windows, most
of the people who enjoy it today would happily pay for it. Yes, that's
an educated guess, so I'd like to hear from users who would NOT use
Linux, were it the same price as Windows.

Dotan Cohen

http://what-is-what.com
http://gibberish.co.il
א-ב-ג-ד-ה-ו-ז-ח-ט-י-ך-כ-ל-ם-מ-ן-נ-ס-ע-ף-פ-ץ-צ-ק-ר-ש-ת

A: Because it messes up the order in which people normally read text.
Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing?